At least two people were killed and others wounded on Thursday after renewed clashes erupted between the Beni Halba and Salamat tribes in South Darfur, less than two weeks after the two sides signed what was described as a final reconciliation agreement.
Local sources and witnesses said the fighting broke out in the al-Hujairat area west of Dambar after an individual dispute rapidly escalated into armed confrontations between groups from both communities.
A community leader in South Darfur said two people were killed and one wounded before local mediators and Rapid Support Forces units intervened to halt the violence. He said the incident began as a quarrel between two individuals before armed groups gathered on both sides.
Another local source said tensions flared after an attack on two people riding a motorcycle while searching for missing livestock. One of them was killed and the other seriously wounded before being evacuated by an RSF unit.
The source added that a third person was later killed during the clashes, while another was injured, prompting urgent mediation efforts by local leaders to contain the situation.
The latest violence threatens to undermine a reconciliation process launched in Nyala on June 22 under the sponsorship of RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The conference produced a final peace document between the two tribes, reviving an earlier agreement and setting out measures to reopen roads and markets within 15 days, facilitate voluntary returns within 45 days, halt hate speech, ban weapons in conflict areas, impose state authority, hold offenders accountable and form a mechanism to monitor implementation.
The agreement also stipulated that members of the Salamat tribe living in Dar Beni Halba would fall administratively under the Beni Halba traditional authority.
The conflict between the two communities dates back to major fighting in August 2023 that left hundreds dead or wounded. A local reconciliation deal was reached in June 2024, but violence resumed in May this year, killing dozens, burning villages and driving large numbers of civilians from their homes.
The renewed clashes highlight the fragility of local peace efforts in South Darfur, where disputes over land, livestock, authority and security continue to threaten reconciliation agreements despite repeated mediation attempts.
